Pro Hockey: Broadhursts band together for Rockford IceHogs

ROCKFORD — The past six years, Terry and Alex Broadhurst generally would only see each other at Christmas during hockey season.

Now, not only are they on the same team for the first time, they are on the same line. They, and their family, are excited about that.

“To see each other every day is nice,” said Terry, the older at 24. “Family and friends get a kick out of it, and it cuts down on the travel for them, that’s for sure.”

Instead of commuting from the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn to Rockford or Toledo the past two seasons to see Terry play with the IceHogs or Walleye, and to London, Ontario, or Green Bay, Wis., the past three years to watch Alex, 20, they can all load up for one trip. There were Broadhursts and friends all over the hallway outside the team’s locker room after Sunday’s 4-2 win over Texas.

And it was Alex whom they cheered on big-time as he provided two big plays. He scored unassisted to tie the game, then fed Klas Dahlbeck for an empty-netter to clinch it.

Alex is second on the ’Hogs with nine points (three goals, six assists); Terry is fifth with seven (three goals, four assists), as Rockford is 7-2-1-0 heading into Thursday’s home game against Charlotte.

“It’s a dream come true,” Alex said of finally being teammates and linemates. “We play really good together, we’re playing well and hopefully we can keep it going.”

A preview came when the Broadhursts performed on the same line in part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ summer training camp in London.

“We did well there, so we knew that could be a possibility they would throw us together,” Terry said. “It’s fun right now that we are playing together. We have good chemistry, and Alex and Ross are two good players and we all can skate well, so it’s a good line right now.”

Rockford head coach Ted Dent combined them basically out of necessity, with centers Brad Mills and Brandon Pirri being called up to Chicago.

“That opened a void at center, and we have three or four other guys who have played center in the past,” Dent said. “So we put Alex there and put him with Terry to see if there is some chemistry, and see if they can jell and think along the same lines.”

Terry said they both bring offense, and both need to continue to get better defensively.

“Making plays down low, taking pucks to the net and creating scoring chances, I think that’s what we bring to that line,” he said.

Alex says they are “different players.”

“I’m more of a playmaker, and he has more speed going wide and to the net,” he said. “When I get the puck in the middle, he’s always going wide so I can find him there.

“We both like to play low and cycle the puck, so we’re always in the spot we know we’re going to be, so that’s good.”